The Birth of Head Start: Preschool Education Policies in the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations

One of the most popular and enduring legacies of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society programs, Project Head Start continues to support close to one million young children of low-income families annually by providing a range of developmental and educational services. Yet as Head Start reaches its fortieth anniversary, debates over the function and scope of this federal program persist. Although the program's importance is unquestioned across party lines, the direction of its future-whether to focus more on school readiness and literacy or to continue its holistic approach-remains a point of contention. Policymakers proposing to reform Head Start often invoke its origins to justify their position, but until now no comprehensive political history of the program has existed. Maris A. Vinovskis here provides an in-depth look at the nation's largest and best known-yet politically contested-early education program. The Birth of Head Start sets the record straight on the program's intended aims, documenting key decisions made during its formative years. It brings to light the previously neglected contributions of key participants, such as federal education officials and members of Congress, and offers the first sustained consideration of how politics and policymaking have shaped the program. This thorough and incisive book will be essential for policymakers and legislators interested in prekindergarten education, and it will inform future discussions on early intervention services for disadvantaged children.